Printed circuit boards are required in the automotive industry for various applications. For example, they are used in a control device for engines or in a transmission control unit and thus they are exposed to great forces and loads. The components arranged on such a circuit board are mounted with various housing forms on the circuit board and they are often very sensitive to vibration loads, oscillations and mechanical shock. Such components have to be protected in an additional process by taking appropriate measures against such loads. Some measures are proposed to ensure increased protection of the circuit board against various influences.
The German utility model DE 20 2010 017 072 U1 presents, for example, a device for holding an electrical component on a circuit board which has a base component for the attachment to the circuit board and a cover part which can be connected to the base component via at least one connecting link. Between the base component and the covering part there is a recess for the mounting of the electrical component. In this recess there is a spring arrangement arranged with two curved springs which are acting on the electrical component that is fixed in the device in order to hold it in a secured manner. By incorporating the electrical component in the recess and by pressing the cover onto the base component, the connecting links are locked in place in the designated areas on the base component. A spring arrangement is provided in order to compensate for the deformation of the electrical component. This spring arrangement clamps the component between the base component and the cover part.
The German patent DE 4 232 547 C1 describes, for example, a device for securing the substrate of an HF-thin-film circuit on the floor of a shielding housing. Pressure pieces that are elastically resistant are provided on the top of the substrate in order to establish a good contact between the substrate rear side and the bottom of the housing. This way, the entire substrate is evenly pressed over several pressure points on the bottom of the housing.
The German patent application DE 10 2009 045 915 A1 proposes the mounting of the circuit board with high tolerance compensation. The circuit board is clamped between two clamping elements which offer elasticity on the side of the circuit board in order to avoid bending and stretching of the circuit board. Oscillations and tolerance deviations are absorbed through the elasticity of the clamping elements.
The German patent application DE 35 29 884 A1 proposes a type of housing for the protection of sensitive components, especially explosives and ammunition against mechanical shock and as an alternative to casting and gluing together housings. The housing body has at least one deformation zone that is parallel to the place of the plastically deformed component that is clamped in the housing. The housing is closed with and elastically deformable cover which presses against the component which presses against the place and this way it offers protection against vibrations and shock.
Furthermore, protection against vibrations, oscillations and shock is often achieved by bonding, grouting and other similar manufacturing steps. For example, this is described in the German patent application DE 199 29 754 C2. One drawback of this method is that grouting tubs might be necessary to define or to limit the expansion of the grouting or of the adhesive. Depending on the application, this is possible with either little of great effort. Therefore, this can result in the need for providing a corresponding place on the circuit board or at the building site in the form of a grouting tub or of a separate frame that is necessary for the spatial limitation. The component which is usually an electronic piece is then introduced into the frame or in the tub and the space between the frame and the tub is filled with flexible casting or adhesive. This mass then wraps around the component and protects it against mechanical stress.
Alternatively, to the grouting tub or to a separate frame, the limitation of the grouting on the circuit board can also be done by a prior application of a so-called glue bead around the component. This hardens quickly so that the actual grouting of the electrical component can be carried out.
In regard to all the methods described above it is necessary to use additional preparatory processes to protect the component. Additionally, the use of grouting tubs complicates or impedes the flexibility of the mounting of the circuit board or the changes of the mounting, as well as the diminution of the circuit board.
However, in the aforementioned methods no mounting method for electric or electronic components is proposed that can offer a simple and flexible, i.e. location-independent possibility for component arrangement while at the same time maintaining the protection of the component. The objective of this disclosure is, therefore, to provide such a way of mounting components. This mounting method for components offers at least the same protection as the known devices, as well as greater flexibility for the placement of the circuit board.
This objective is achieved according to the disclosure through the properties of the patent claims.